Bill Cosby and the power of internet shaming

One positive result of the recent attention to Ferguson, Mo., is that the news flowing out of that city drowned out stories about rape allegations against Bill Cosby in my social media feeds.

As much as I’m tired of seeing the proliferation of Cosby’s mug on Facebook and Twitter, the attention and internet shaming people showered on the scandal could end up creating more awareness and providing a platform for victims of sexual assault.

Although multiple women accuse Cosby of rape, only one filed a civil lawsuit that was settled out of court. If Cosby is guilty of those crimes, then at least now his victims might feel some sense of justice thanks to social media.

But dialogue over social media often turns into more an echo chamber than a conversation. It is a lot easier to retweet, repost and essentially borrow thoughts, facts and opinions of others than to come up with an original statement.

As a vehicle for truth and justice, social media can be an effective tool, but it comes with dangers. It’s up to all of us to remember we’re people on these networks, not just profiles or users, who have the power to second-guess, analyze and proceed with caution.